<i> what seem to be militias</i>

CRS?

<<Well djk.. you only see the failed pickpockets.. thousands of people are pickpocketed successfully in Paris every year..and MOST do NOT see their attackers. >>

Many victims never notice and have no idea how they've been relieved of sometime until later. But I have seen them "in action" and move toward, get the attention of the proposed victim, the grabber who moves off. I've also seen others on trains yell at or get in the space of someone who appears to be reaching. Very common is when the train slows abruptly approaching the station and a person grabs a bar with both hands to steady themselves and is looking up, rather than down, especially if they are near the doors.

Whenever I ride the metro, anything important is in my cross body bag with caribiners, lobster claw clasps, or other means of securing any zippers so they cannot be opened with one hand. Bags with a flap and magnetic closure underneath, even a zipper or inside zipper compartment are more easily accessible.

I have another silly question. I noticed that the TGV that i'll be taking has upper and lower deck. Which deck is less prone to motion-sickness? I do have a little bit of motion-sickness problem since I was a kid...but I think i might have grew out as i get older. But just in case, is lower deck less shaky than the upper deck?
Thank you all again for all the tips on avoiding becoming the target for the pickpockets.

One more question, if i request for the seat when I purchase the ticket online, can I still change the seat assignment before boarding the train? Do you recommend window or aisle seat? Also, can i still nap during the TGV ride or should i keep my eyes open for pickpockets? TIA

No, you can't change your seat unless, perchance, you end up on a virtually empty TGV and the conductor doesn't mind if you switch - you'll have to ask, but the answer is usually no because the controlleur has to know who's sitting where. It's not a free-for-all.

The TGV goes a gazillion kilometers per hour, so it's always a bit shaky when it gets going full steam, and especially when it passes another TGV going the other direction - expect a fairly loud BOOM! THWACK! when that happens. It will startle you the first time. After that, you realize it's normal. I rarely take TGVs that have an upper deck, but when I have I haven't noticed any difference in the "shakiness" between the two decks. The advantage of the upper deck is it's a better vantage point for seeing the scenery. The disadvantage is you have to haul your bag(s) up a very narrow staircase and haul them down quickly when you reach your stop. I don't think shakiness is an issue at all. You just have to get used to the sensation of traveling at a very high speed, and normally very smoothly.

I prefer a window seat so I can see where I'm going. And I prefer to face the direction I'm headed in - I don't like traveling "backwards." But I'm really fine with any seat. They're comfortable trains and I love taking them.

There is NO reason not to nap on a French train, as long as you can get up when you reach your stop (and understand when they announce it - sometimes only in French). No one is going to bother you once you are seated.

Stop worrying.

should i keep my eyes open for pickpockets? TIA>

never in the train itself IME- but in crowded stations in big cities always be vigilant - if so you'll have no problems. I've never had a problem in gazillions of train rides in France even in stations but I am very careful- sleazy types coming up I just say no and head away. Always carry money, passport, etc in a secure under the clothes money belt. Never anything of value in a day pack on your back - I've had my day pack unzipped without my knowledge but I carry nothing of value in there.

Don't be over worried but be prudent and you'll have no problems - especially in your seat on a train- even if snoring - put angst to rest.

The TGV is not shaky at all. You can build a house of cards on your tray table if you want.

But the loud BOOM! THWACK! is there. Good description actually.

I often wonder why they don't space the tracks just another foot or two apart on the high-speed sections, and reduce that meeting shockwave. And if you want to ride a silky-smooth train, take the TGV on the new track to Strasbourg. 300+kph, and it feels like you're in your recliner at home. (Except when you meet another train, that is.)

And Paris-Est, from which it leaves, is a much easier station to navigate!

I often wonder why they don't space the tracks just another foot or two apart on the high-speed sections, and reduce that meeting shockwave>

why - millions if not billions of more euros to more them a distance apart to make a noticeable difference- I no physicist but I believe you'd have to move them a lot apart and that would cost zillions to do now.

It does come as a shock when that unexpectedly happens-kind of cool really.

TGV-Est I believe is smoother all in all because TGVs use fewer bogies than the older ones -one reason they go faster - lighter weight- well this is from hazy memory reading about it when the line was opened.

The BOOM! THWAK! also happens on the teeny little regional trains we ride often, though it's ot quite as loud. It's still a "moment" that is noticeable.

Agree that it would make no sense to move the tracks farther apart - would cost a fortune, and why? So people don't get a bit of a shock now and then? It's good for them - teaches them that they're riding on some awesome technology!

I agree it would be absurdly expensive to move the track already laid down -- but they have the easement (as we'd call it in the USA) and for new track the added expense would be negligible.

I'm also not a physicist, but I did double-major in applied physics and geology. Never practiced either, so I wouldn't call myself either. The force applied is most likely a logarithmic function, so would diminish quite rapidly with increasing distance. Certainly not totally disappearing, but diminishing to a point where you're not convinced the glass is about to shatter into a million pieces!

I'm pretty aware of the awesomeness of the tech. You've been using it for a half-century, and too many of my fellow Amurkins think it's some socialist hogwash that only the E-lites would use.

As to the smoothness of that new track to Strasbourg (and any other recently-opened lines) -- it's partially the more sophisticated suspension of the trainsets, but also the precision of the track-laying, and the extreme length of the welded sections. You folk do rail very very well. We can barely keep our roads paved, because it's against the "religion" to raise taxes for ANY reason.

The TGV-Est is the one I use the most often, and I never even notice any noise or disturbance caused by trains in the opposite direction.

However, the Paris-Lyon TGV line is the oldest one, and it does get a bit of a jolt from opposing trains.

I too am prone to motion sickness , I had nonissue in the trains , they tend to travel in straight lines . I sat upstairs , better views , but not so much fun hauling suitcases up the stairs , which you should .

Once the conductor has checked your ticket , if train is not full , changing seats not op much of an issue , but stay in your class . Also if there are other stops , remember , someone may board and be entitled to the seat you thought was empty .

Thank you again for your responses. You all have answered my questions and concerns. Happy Holidays to you all.

Note that when I was mentioning pickpockets on trains, I was referring to metro trains in Paris, not the TGV trains.

On the subject of pickpockets on French trains, don't forget our friend DonTopaz having his wallet stolen as he boarded a train last year, leaving him without money or cards. Don't assume anywhere in public is safe: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...s-171876-2.cfm